The Worst Of It All
by 221b-badwolfbay
Summary: Ruby and Emma are dating, but Emma hears that Regina may have feelings for her, she has a change of heart. Eventual SwanQueen and Red Beauty. Set in early s1. g!p Emma. Will aim for Sunday updates. Also, I am in need of a beta reader for later chapters. If anyone is interested shoot me a PM.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey, Regina," Emma said in a low voice. "You doing okay?"

"What do you want?" Regina snapped, trying to sound menacing but failing as her words slurred together. She'd been trying to drown her feelings at the bar after finding out that Emma, the woman for whom she'd unfortunately and inexplicably fallen, had been seeing Ruby behind the scenes. However, she may have had a few too many and wasn't showing signs of stopping.

Emma chuckled, and Regina noticed her fingers tightly laced with Ruby's at their sides. "Well, we were just hanging out and we noticed you'd been drinking a lot."

"You're not safe to drive, Regina," Ruby put in. "So we were thinking Emma could drive you home and I'll take your car and follow."

Regina narrowed her eyes. As much as she hated to admit it, Ruby was right. She sighed. "Fine." She turned to the bartender. "One more shot please." She downed the whiskey and paid the man. "Let's go."

She climbed into Emma's rust bucket, heart pounding in her throat.

"So how come you were chasing alcohol poisoning?" Emma asked, looking in her mirror to make sure Ruby was handling Regina's car all right.

Regina snorted without answering.

"Okay, then."

The rest of the drive was spent in silence. When they pulled into Regina's driveway, Emma didn't leave. Instead, she and Ruby followed Regina inside.

"Henry's with you tonight, right?" Regina asked slowly.

"I've got Mary Margaret watching him," Emma replied. "Come on, let's get you upstairs."

Regina began to protest, but then she felt her knees growing weak and she stumbled forward and landed on the floor. The other women helped her to stand up, supporting her weight as they went up to Regina's bedroom. "I can handle it from here," she protested as they set her down on the bed.

Emma smirked. "Can you?" she gently removed Regina's jacket and laid it on the chair. "I think we'll have to stay with you a bit longer." She exchanged a sly grin with Ruby. The younger girl sat down beside them and unzipped the mayor's dress, letting the sleeves fall down her arms to reveal a lacy black bra.

"What do you think you're-" but she was cut off by Emma's lips crashing onto her own. Then it was suddenly clear – the real motive behind Ruby and Emma being so willing to help her. They wanted to seduce her. And whether it was the alcohol or her deep desire for Emma, she was okay with that.

Emma pulled her tank top over her head and unfastened her bra, only breaking their kiss for a split second. As she reached for her belt, she slowed down a bit and pulled away from the kiss. "Regina, there's something I haven't told you," she said quietly. She slowly tugged her pants down her legs, leaving her in nothing but her black boy shorts. Ruby moved to sit beside her, a wanton flush coming over her face.

"I love this," she breathed as she pulled Emma's underwear off.

Regina wasn't sure what she expected, but it surely wasn't the long, hard phallus that sprung from Emma's crotch.

The blonde blushed as Ruby wrapped her hand around the thick appendage, stroking it slowly up and down.

"Did you have surgery or something to get that?"

"No. It was there when I was born. Maybe that's why my mom got rid of me." She sighed. "I'm a freak."

Ruby kissed Emma's cheek. "No you're not," she murmured. "You're beautiful."

Regina tentatively reached out and touched the head of it, causing Emma to shiver and moan. "It's huge," Regina whispered. The thing must have been eleven inches long and at least five inches thick. "May I?"

Emma smiled. "You can do whatever you want to it."

With only a second's hesitation, Regina descended upon it, taking as much as she could into her mouth. Emma moaned, fisting her hands in Regina's hair to hold her head down as long as she could. Finally, Regina pulled off of it, gasping for air. She only stayed off a moment before diving back on, trying to force the thing all the way down. She relaxed her throat and closed her eyes until suddenly she felt skin on her nose. She looked up to find her face pressed against Emma's stomach and the sheriff's entire member in her throat.

However, she was quickly running out of air. Reluctant to end the pleasure she was giving Emma, she pulled away, panting. When she made eye contact with Ruby and Emma, both women looked very impressed.

"No one's ever taken it all before," Emma said, astonished. Her eyes were still glazed with arousal. "You're really good at this."

Regina blushed and wiped at her mouth. "Thanks."

Wasting no more time on conversation, Ruby pushed Regina onto her back and hungrily lapped at her center. Regina inhaled sharply as the girl's tongue made contact with her clit, flicking it back and forth. When she added her fingers, Regina went ballistic. She practically screamed Ruby's name as waves of pleasure crashed over her again and again. Ruby removed her fingers as Regina came down from her high.

Then something crossed Regina's mind. It was something she'd always wanted, but Graham had never wanted to do. She turned to Emma. "Emma, can you do something for me?" she asked, glancing hesitantly down to the monster between the blonde's legs. Emma nodded. Regina took a breath. "I want to try it in the back door."

Ruby's eyebrows shot so far up they disappeared in her hairline. "I never would have thought you were the sort for that, Regina."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "There's a lot you don't know about me." She looked back at Emma. "Well?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah, I can do that. You got anything we can use? You know, for…" she trailed off, making crude gestures with her hands to get her message across.

Regina rolled her eyes and took a bottle of lotion from her nightstand. "Here." She turned over so she was on her hands and knees.

Emma spread some lotion generously onto Regina's puckered hole before rubbing some on her fingers. "Okay, if this hurts let me know and I'll stop." She slowly inserted one finger into Regina, gently pumping in and out.

Regina winced. She was tighter than she thought, but she didn't want to stop. After the initial pain came pleasure, and she wanted more. "Do another," she whispered through clenched teeth. She braced herself as Emma added another finger. Soon, she was pumping three fingers into Regina's ass, and the brunette had grown bored. "I'm ready," Regina told her.

Emma stroked the lotion liberally onto her excited appendage before lining it up with Regina's hole. Regina gasped as the head made it past her ring and kept going, inch by inch, until Emma was all the way in.

She didn't notice she was crying until Ruby gently lifted her chin and wiped her eyes with a tissue. "You okay?" she asked gently.

Regina nodded. "Go," she told Emma. And Emma did, pumping in and out with a new passion.

Regina screamed, feeling herself being split open, but she begged Emma to keep going. It was a wonderful pain, a sick pleasure.

Emma didn't last long in the tight hole, releasing her massive load inside of Regina. She pulled out and lay beside her, panting. "That was amazing."

Regina smiled and adjusted so she was lying on her stomach beside Emma. "It was." Then she realized something and turned to Ruby. "You haven't come yet."

Ruby shook her head. "Tonight was for you," she said with a smile. "Trust me, Emma will help me out later."

Regina nodded, heart sinking. "Right." She cleared her throat, suddenly aware of what she'd just done. She felt dirty. "You two had better go."

Emma groaned. "Come on, 'Gina, let us stay."

"That's _Madame Mayor_ to you. Go home, both of you." She tied a robe around herself. Sighing, Emma and Ruby got dressed and went down the spiral staircase. It wasn't until she heard the door close downstairs that Regina allowed herself to cry.

_She'll always choose Ruby_, she thought. _Even when they want me for sex it'll still be Ruby._ And that was the worst of it all.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Regina woke up alone, groaning at the pain in her rear end from last night as she rolled over and stood up. She opted for a loose black dress and flats and tried to make herself look somewhat presentable and undisturbed.

She was walking down Main Street with sunglasses covering her bloodshot eyes when the last person she wanted to see stopped her.

"Hey, Regina," Emma greeted her with a tentative smile.

Regina sighed and kept walking, only to be stopped by Emma's hand latching onto her sleeve.

"You okay?"

"I don't have time to chat, Miss Swan," she said without turning around. "So if you'd be so kind as to _let me go_."

She could feel Emma's eyeroll as the blonde let go of her jacket. Regina immediately walked away, tensing as she heard another voice talking to Emma.

"What's up with her?" Ruby asked.

Regina turned the corner, but she stopped behind the wall to listen to their conversation.

"I dunno, must be something to do with last night," Emma said.

Ruby sighed. "I just wish she wasn't so uptight all the time."

"I know what you mean."

"Well, I'd better get back to work or Granny'll flip. We're still doing dinner tonight, right?"

"Of course." Regina could hear the sappy smile in Emma's voice. She wrinkled her nose as they kissed.

"I love you," Ruby said.

"You too." Emma began walking again, toward where Regina was hiding.

Emma sighed as she watched Ruby walk away, totally not checking out her butt (okay maybe a little bit). As she continued on her way to the sheriff's office, she thought about her brief exchange with Regina. She'd been hiding something, that was certain. Then again, Emma always had that sense when she was around Regina. Especially when she brought up Henry's fairytale theory. Usually she brushed it off, but lately there had been something extra – something constant that Regina was keeping from her.

And it was only when she talked to Emma. When Emma overheard – okay, eavesdropped upon – Regina's conversations with others, it wasn't there. Only with Emma.

As she neared the corner where Gold's shop was located, Gold himself walked outside.

"Good morning, Miss Swan. I trust you slept well?" He gave her a sly, knowing smile.

Emma narrowed her eyes. She wasn't an idiot. "What do you want from me, Gold?"

Gold's smile widened. "Why don't you come inside, sheriff." He led her into the shop. "Follow me. I have something I need you to deliver for me." They went behind the curtain into the back room. Gold handed her a sealed package. "I'll need you to give this to one Mary Margaret Blanchard."

Emma looked from the parcel to Gold suspiciously. "Why? What is it?"

"Just something she requested from me. She held up her end of the deal, and so shall I."

"And you just want me to deliver this? Then we're even?"

Gold chuckled. "Oh, no, Miss Swan. This is just one of a few things I need you to do for me."

Emma opened her mouth to say something, but the bell chimed in the front and Gold smiled mischievously. "I'll need to get that. Wait here please." And he disappeared through the curtain, leaving Emma alone with the mysterious package.

Panicking, Regina ducked into the nearest shop. And it was just her luck that she'd been standing right next to the shop of the one and only Mr. Gold.

"Well this is a surprise, Madame Mayor," Gold said.

Regina turned around, struggling to see with her sunglasses on in the dark shop. "I'm not here to talk to you," she spat.

Gold gave her his sly, impish smile. "Oh, but I think you'll want to in a moment. Now, I'm sure you can't see in those glasses and you and I both know why you're wearing them, so why don't you just take them off so we can have a proper conversation, hmm?"

Narrowing her eyes, Regina took off the sunglasses and stowed them in her purse.

"Excellent. Have a seat and we'll chat."

"I prefer to stand." She shifted ever so slightly on her feet, and Gold's smile widened a bit.

"Yes, I'm sure." He sat down behind the counter, resting his cane on the wall behind him.

Regina leaned forward, supporting herself on her hands on the desk. She pushed her face inches away from his. "What do you know?" she snarled.

He didn't bat an eyelash and his voice was completely steady. "More than you want me to."

Deciding she was tired of waiting for Gold to come back, Emma made her way to the front of the shop. As she approached the curtain, she heard voices. She had a strange prickling sensation in the back of her mind that compelled her to stop and listen to what was going on.

"…for our own sheriff," Gold said teasingly. _Me?_ Emma thought. _Who is he talking to? And why are they talking about me?_

"That's absolutely preposterous," Regina's voice snapped. "What on earth could make you think that I have _feelings_ for a swine like Emma Swan?"

Feelings? For her? Emma leaned slightly closer to the curtain, trying to breathe shallowly.

Gold chuckled. "You know, Madame Mayor, for an evil queen you're quite bad at hiding your feelings."

_When did Henry tell Gold about his fairytales?_ Emma thought. She shook her head. The kid had had these ideas long before she got there. It could have been any time.

Regina scoffed. "Just cut to the chase, Gold. What do you want?"

"You know what I want."

"That's not an option."

"Oh, isn't it?" Gold rustled around in his desk for a moment. "Or would you like me to personally hand-deliver a copy of these to every resident of Storybrooke?"

Regina's breath caught. "You wouldn't."

Gold made a clucking noise with his tongue. "Oh, come now, how long have we known each other? You of all people should know that I would."

Regina sighed. "Fine. But I want _those_."

"Ah, ah, ah, _after_ you hold up your end of the deal."

Emma checked her watch. _Shit_. She was going to be late for work. Praying they wouldn't be too upset, she pushed through the curtain and hurried out the door with a muttered greeting to Regina. She hid the package under the passenger seat of her car and sent a text to Mary Margaret.

_Hey can we meet Granny's 4 lunch? Gold gave me something to give you._

Mary Margaret's reply was almost instantaneous. _Sure thing! Thanks, Em :)_

_What is it anyway?_

_Um… just a thing. Sorry I can't tell you._

Emma sighed and didn't reply as she drove herself to the sheriff's office. She made a mental note to call Regina later and figure out what Gold wanted from her. Unfortunately, events didn't quite allow for something that – well – normal.


	3. Chapter 3

"I don't believe that's any of your business, Miss Swan."

Emma sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Regina, we were both involved with this. I have a right to know what's going on." She glanced at Ruby.

_Anything?_ Ruby mouthed.

Emma shook her head and rolled her eyes as Ruby sighed. She put the phone on speaker.

"What transpired between Mr. Gold and myself is private business and it will remain that way," Regina continued, unaware of the fact that Ruby was listening to her now as well.

Emma made a sound of frustration. "You know I'm gonna find out, right?"

"I know that you will attempt to find out, and inevitably fail."

"We'll see." Emma hung up before Regina could reply. She looked at Ruby. "Is it me or is she being bitchier than usual?"

Ruby giggled. "Definitely bitchier." She frowned. "But why didn't Gold want to talk to me about this whole thing? I mean I'm obviously involved too."

"I don't know. He said something about how he thought Regina had feelings for me; I think he might be more focused on that."

Ruby snorted. "Like Regina would ever like you."

"Hey!"

Ruby playfully swatted Emma's shoulder. "You know what I mean. You can't love someone if you don't have a heart."

Emma frowned. "Come on, Rubes. She's not that bad. You saw her last night; she just has… issues."

Ruby chuckled. "You can say that again." She glanced at the clock. "Hey we should both be getting to Granny's soon. You gotta give Mary Margaret that package."

Emma nodded. "I'll drive." She jingled her keys. Ruby got into the passenger seat and Emma closed the door after her. She walked slowly around the car to her side, using the time to think about what Gold had said to Regina. Feelings for her? Could it be true? It would explain the way Regina had acted that night.

Finally climbing into the driver's seat, Emma looked at Ruby. "Do you think it's true? Regina liking me, I mean."

Ruby sighed. "What do you care? Even if she does, it's not like you like her back."

Emma nodded. "Yeah, I guess." Something prickled in the back of her mind, but she couldn't tell exactly what it was. She parked the bug and let Ruby out.

"Thanks for the ride." Ruby planted a kiss on Emma's cheek. "See you after work." She jogged inside through the back door, tying her apron around her waist as she ran.

Emma hesitated before going around to the front of the diner and sitting in her usual booth. Ruby came over and set a hot cocoa with cinnamon in front of her.

"On the house," she said with a smile and a wink. She went back toward the kitchen, hips swaying provocatively.

Mary Margaret entered the diner, bell above the door tinkling merrily. She smiled and sat down across from Emma, taking off her jacket and putting it on the seat next to her. "Hey," she said warmly. "How was your night with Ruby?"

Emma shrugged. "Fun. You know how it is." She winced as Mary Margaret's eyes flitted down to her lap.

"Yeah," the shorter woman said quietly. She cleared her throat. "So, you had something to give me?"

Emma nodded. "Let's order first." She waved to Ruby, who was making her rounds.

"What can I get you two?"

Emma grinned. "I'll have my usual."

"Grilled cheese?" Mary Margaret requested.

Ruby nodded. "I'll get those in for you." She left to go tell Granny their orders.

Emma took the package from the seat beside her. "Here you go."

Mary Margaret took it and stuffed it under her coat. "Thanks, Emma. You don't even know what I had to do to get this."

"What is it?"

"I, um, I'm sorry. I can't really say."

Emma sighed. "How come?"

"It's between me and Gold. Sorry."

Ruby returned and set their plates on the table. "Enjoy."

"So how come Gold sent you to give me this?" Mary Margaret asked once Ruby had gone.

"I owe him."

Mary Margaret frowned. "Why?"

Emma looked up from her food. "Sorry, I can't say."

"Okay, fair enough." Mary Margaret said. They ate in silence for a bit. Finishing her sandwich, Mary Margaret looked at her watch. "Oh, I've got to get back. My lunch break ends in five minutes." She gave Emma a quick hug before grabbing her coat and hurrying out.

Emma went to the counter to pay for her food, smiling when she saw Ruby standing behind the cash register. She had feelings for Ruby, no doubt, but since hearing Gold's conversation with Regina something had been tickling her brain nonstop.

"Hey," Ruby said with a flirty smile. "Leaving so soon?"

"I gotta get to the station; I said I'd be in five minutes ago."

Ruby pushed her lips into a pout as she handed Emma her change. "I'll see you later then." She gently kissed Emma's cheek.

The blonde smiled and waved to Ruby as she went out to her bug, but she stopped short just outside the door when she saw who was standing beside her car.

"Good afternoon, Miss Swan," Regina said smoothly.

"I thought you didn't want to talk to me."

"I didn't. But now I do."

Emma sighed and walked down the steps to stand in front of Regina. "About what, exactly?"

"I believe you know." She gestured for Emma to get into her car.

Emma frowned. "What about my car?"

"I'm sure _Ruby_ can look after it for you." She spat Ruby's name with such venom Emma almost took a step back.

"Right." Not wanting to set Regina on edge, Emma climbed into the passenger seat. "What about work?"

"I've already phoned ahead. Graham has excused you, of course."

"Of course." _Because the two of you are sleeping together_, Emma added in her head.

The drive was spent in silence. Emma fiddled with her hands in her lap and didn't make eye contact with Regina.

Regina pulled into the driveway of her mansion and turned off the car.

"You're taking me to your house? _Voluntarily_?" Emma said incredulously as they got out.

Regina rolled her eyes. "I'd like to have a _mature_ conversation, Miss Swan. And I feel that that would be best done in the privacy of my home."

Still surprised, Emma followed Regina into the mansion and sat down on one of the soft leather couches. Regina poured two glasses of white wine and handed one to Emma before sitting in the chair across from the couch.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Emma asked, sipping her wine.

"Gold."

Emma almost choked on her drink. "You want to talk about that now?"

"We need to get something on him; prevent him from blackmailing us any further."

"How?"

"Well, you're the sheriff. Run an investigation on him. Find out what he's been up to behind the scenes."

Emma sighed. "Fine. On one condition."

"And what's that?"

"You tell me what he wants from you."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "Absolutely not."

"What is the big deal? Why can't you just tell me?"

"Because I'm not going to do it; so there's no point."

"Wait, you're not going to do what he wants? Here I am doing everything he tells me to and you're just gonna let him show the photos anyway?" Emma stood up, enraged.

Regina sighed. "I'm going to make sure he doesn't put them out but the thing he wants me to do is completely out of the question."

"How come? What the hell is it he wants you to do; sleep with him?" Emma exclaimed.

Regina shifted in her chair, pulling her skirt down. "No. It's worse."

Emma paused. Worse than sleeping with Gold? She sat down. "So it's pretty bad."

Regina nodded. "You could say that."

"So what are we gonna do?"

"Get dirt on Gold. If we have enough power over him maybe we could make a truce with him." Regina downed her wine in one unceremonious gulp.

Emma nodded. "I guess I should go get started then." She stood up and handed Regina her glass. "I'm gonna need a ride back to the diner so I can get my car."

Regina stood up too. "Of course."

They drove back to the diner in silence.

"I'll um, I'll let you know if I find anything," Emma said as she got out of Regina's car.

Regina nodded. "Good. I'll expect a report by tomorrow." She didn't make eye contact.

Ruby came out of the diner. "Hey, where've you been?" she asked, kissing Emma on the cheek.

"I'll explain later. Go back inside; I'll be in in a minute." Ruby nodded and jogged back into the diner. Emma leaned down so that she was looking into the car through the open window, inches away from Regina's face. "Look, when I was at Gold's shop I kind of heard you guys talking."

Regina stiffened, slowly turning to face Emma. Fear danced in her wide eyes. She was more vulnerable than Emma had ever seen her.

"Is it true? What he said?"

Emma didn't quite expect an answer, but what she got was the last thing she expected. Regina pulled her face closer, trapping her in a deep kiss.

Caught off guard, Emma kissed her back, forgetting everything for just one moment.

When they finally broke apart, Emma was horrified with both of them. "What the hell, Regina?" she exclaimed.

Regina had tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I just had to know if you felt the same way."

"Yeah, have you got your answer now?"

"Yes." Then she drove away without another word.


	4. Chapter 4

Henry got home shortly after Regina, kicking off his shoes and hurrying up to his room without so much as a 'hello.'

Regina didn't follow him for once. She was too disgusted with herself to reprimand him for leaving his shoes in the middle of the hall. She put them away herself before sitting back down on the couch and pouring herself her fourth – or was it her sixth – glass of wine.

She glanced up the stairs to see Henry peering around a corner and staring at her, eyes squinted, fairy tale book in his hands. She sighed. "Is something wrong?" she called up.

"No, nothing," Henry replied. He turned and went back to his room. She heard him talking to someone. _He must have gone into my room and gotten on the phone again._ She reached over to the phone beside her, ready to tell him to get off, until she heard his conversation on his line.

"…drinking a lot," Henry said.

"She is?" It was Emma.

"She didn't even yell at me when I left my shoes in front of the door."

Emma sighed. "Wow. That's uh, that's intense."

Regina bit back a retort and continued to listen.

"Do you know what happened?" Henry asked.

Emma hesitated. "What does your book say?"

"Nothing. This isn't in the book."

"Weird. Why don't I take you for dinner at Granny's? I'm sure your mom would appreciate some, uh, alone time."

Regina bit her lip. As much she hated to admit it, Emma was right.

"Okay," Henry said eagerly. "I'll um… I'll meet you outside. She won't check on me anyway."

Regina sighed. "Go to dinner. I don't care."

The line was silent. "When did you get on?" Henry asked finally.

"I told you not to use the phone in my bedroom. Miss Swan, you can pick him up any time but I want him home by eight."

"Um, yeah, of course," Emma stammered. "I'll be over in an hour, I guess."

"Excellent." Regina hung up the phone and went upstairs. Her knees wobbled initially, but she got a handle on it after a few steps. Henry was sitting on her bed carefully studying his book. He didn't hear her come in until she sat down beside him.

A picture of her – the Evil Queen – had been drawn on the page Henry was reading. She gently slid the book out of his hands and into her lap. "So this is what you think of me, then. Some Evil Queen out of a fairy tale."

Henry glared at her, but it lacked its usual hatefulness. He seemed almost curious.

"I'll admit she does look a bit like me. I'm sure whoever wrote it simply used people here in Storybrooke as character inspiration and followed a bit too closely to their, uh, models."

Henry nodded. "Maybe." He paused. "How come you were upset?"

"It was something that has nothing to do with you," she assured him.

"Did Emma do something?"

_Not quite_. "Yes. Yes, she did. But that's all you need to know for now." She kissed the top of his head. "Now go do your homework before dinner, okay?"

He went off to his bedroom, closing Regina's door behind him and Regina sprawled out on the bed and tried her hardest not to cry. She wanted so badly to tell her son the truth about her life, let him hear her side of the story, but she knew he'd only get hurt in the process.

Too soon, she heard the doorbell downstairs and Henry running down to answer it. She heard faint voices, and the closing of a door. She looked out her window and saw Henry get into Emma's car and she saw them drive away together. She saw the broad smile on Henry's face, the one she hadn't seen since he got that wretched book.

She sighed and went downstairs. There was a small piece of paper sitting on the coffee table near the front door.

_Regina,_

_I didn't want to bother you. I've got Henry and I'll have him home by eight._

_-Emma_

Regina held the note tenderly in her hands, as though one fold would destroy the kindness Emma was showing her.

She felt dirty to not return the smiles and the civilized conversations, but how could she?

Her phone rang. "Mayor Mills speaking."

"Good afternoon, Madame Mayor," a sly voice replied. Gold.

"What do you want?" Her words lacked their usual bite as the alcohol had made her somewhat sleepy.

"I think it's time for you and I to have a little chat. Why don't you come by the shop around 11:30? And maybe try to keep this exchange _private_?"

"Why so late?" Regina snapped. "Afraid of something?"

"Oh, I have my reasons. You can never be too safe after all. I'll see you tonight." He hung up and Regina sat listening to the dial tone for a few minutes, mind racing.

She called Emma Swan.

"What's up?" Emma answered.

"Miss Swan, I trust Henry is with you?"

"Yeah, we're just eating. Is something wrong?"

"I'm going to need you to have Henry spend the night with you and Miss Blanchard. Is that all right?"

"How come? What's going on?"

Regina sighed. "I'll explain everything later. Just please watch him tonight."

"Um, yeah, of course."

Regina hung up the phone and pinched the bridge of her nose. He probably wanted to talk about… she sighed. Might as well get dressed.

When 11:25 rolled around, Regina took the short walk to Gold's shop, careful not to let anyone see her.

"What do you want?" she demanded, bursting into the shop.

Gold wasn't there. Instead, Belle was standing behind the desk, organizing things. She looked up. "Oh, good evening, Madame Mayor. Can I help you?" The girl was too sweet for her own good.

"Where's Gold?"

"He's gone out. He'll probably be back in a few minutes, would you like to stay and wait?"

Regina squirmed. Belle should hate her, considering what Regina did to her. "I guess so."

She sat down in a chair opposite Belle, crossing her legs and clearing her throat in the uncomfortable silence.

"I'm not mad, you know," Belle said suddenly. "I was. But I forgive you."

"Why? What I did to you… it was awful."

Belle nodded. "Yeah. It was. But I found someone that makes me happy and I've moved on." She smiled dreamily, no doubt thinking of Gold.

Regina rolled her eyes. "I don't need you to lecture me on romance."

Belle tilted her head, pulling her chair around to sit beside her. "What about Emma?"

"Excuse me?" Regina was furious. Had Gold told Belle?

"I've seen how you look at her. You like her."

Regina stopped herself from breathing a relieved sigh. She narrowed her eyes. "I think you're mistaking loathing for love."

Belle opened her mouth to say more, but she was interrupted by the tinkling of a bell as Gold entered the shop. "Good evening, Madame Mayor. I trust Belle has kept you company while I was out?"

Regina and Belle made eye contact, and the younger girl winked as though to say _your secret's safe with me_. Regina rolled her eyes. "If you can call it company."

Gold walked over and took Belle's hand. "I'll see you tomorrow." She kissed his cheek before getting her coat and leaving the shop.

Gold turned to Regina. "Have a seat."

"I'm already sitting," Regina snapped, extremely irritated at Gold. "Why did you make me come down here so late and then not even be here when I arrived?"

Gold moved to stand behind his desk. "I had pressing matters to which I had to attend and it look longer than I'd anticipated. As for you, we have something we must discuss."

"So you said. Fire away."

"It's come to my attention that the sheriff's office is attempting to run an investigation on me."

"So?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I want to know why."

"Well, how should I know? I don't work in the sheriff's office." Regina stared right back into his eyes, refusing to let him see through her lie.

"Madame Mayor, I hope for your sake you're not lying to me. You do know what happens to people who lie to me, don't you?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Am I done here?"

Gold raised one eyebrow. "I sense there's something you want to say."

She broke their eye contact for a split second before looking back at him. "I can't do it. You know that, right?"

Gold chuckled softly. "Well that's just too bad, isn't it." He pulled out a folder, no doubt containing the photos he'd somehow gotten of that night. "I'll just have to deliver these to Storybrooke then, won't I?"

Regina narrowed her eyes. "I will do _anything_ else. Just… please. Let me keep this."

Gold leaned over the desk, planting his arms to keep his balance. "Listen here, dearie. I've waited twenty-eight years for this golden opportunity. Break the curse, or break your reputation. Your choice."

Regina stood up and stormed out of the shop, knocking over her chair and not bothering to pick it up. She was seething with rage. How dare he ask her to break the curse, the curse she'd sacrificed so much to enact? Breaking the curse would mean she would lose everything. She ignored the hesitant greetings people offered her as she walked briskly back to her mansion. Slamming the door shut behind her, she finally allowed herself to crumble.

She curled up on the floor, leaning her back against the leather couch in her living room, and sobbed so violently her entire body shook. She'd spent years planning this curse, even killed her own father in order to cast it, and it was being taken away from her because of one drunken night. Her head was pounding – no. That wasn't her head.

Someone was knocking at the door.

Her watch read 12:15 am – who in Storybrooke could have audacity to call upon the mayor at this hour?

She really should have known the answer to that question long before she opened the door; after all, who else could it be? She opened the door. "Emma."


End file.
